


Jingle Bell Shock

by Magarie



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, F/F, Fluff, Pharmercy, Shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-19 02:23:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13113963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magarie/pseuds/Magarie
Summary: Fareeha and Angela spend their first Christmas together, but first they have Christmas eve dinner with Fareeha's mother.





	Jingle Bell Shock

**Author's Note:**

  * For [app_jelly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/app_jelly/gifts).



Angela paced nervously in her floor-length red gown. It might have been overkill, but at least it was festive. Was it too much? Should she dress down? It wasn’t nearly cold enough for ugly Christmas sweaters but she didn’t know the protocol! She hadn’t seen Ana in-

It had been a long time.

Would the ex-sniper mind that she was dating her daughter? Did she already know? Exactly what had Fareeha told her? Where  _ was  _ her girlfriend anyway? Her mission should have ended an hour ago!

As if on cue, the door opened and Fareeha walked in, covered in sweat and still in her fatigues, “Sorry!” she announced, rushing in to give Angela a gentle, but thorough kiss.

By the time she pulled away Angela had forgotten what had her worried in the first place. It was so easy to get lost in Fareeha’s arms, in the taste of her tongue. A quick sniff brought it all back to her, though. Fareeha smelled of dirt and sweat, with a hint of something mechanical- oil? She’d need a bath before they went anywhere festive! “We’re going to be late!” Angela was trying so hard to make a good impression- or, at least not to leave a worse one. She and Ana hadn’t always gotten along.

Fareeha nodded sharply, turning to race down the hallway toward the shower, her clothing flying off of her as she went. The fatigues landed in little piles in the hallway, but Angela could ensure that they found baskets later. She had much bigger concerns just now. “Right, sorry! Hit a snag on the mission, nothing to worry about!” She disappeared into the bathroom and then popped her head back into the hallway with a devious grin. “Join me?”

Angela felt her cheeks warm at the suggestion, but she fixed Fareeha with a stern look. She couldn’t let herself get too distracted. “We’re already late, and I am already dressed. I’ll get our things together.”

Fareeha chuckled at her and then winked. “Your loss.”

She was certain it was. Their shower was small, but that just made for a more intimate cleaning experience. Angela allowed her mind to play over the memories, water shedding off of Fareeha’s dark skin, glistening lips, and the cold tile, before she shook herself back into the present and started gathering up their things.

By the time Fareeha joined her at the door she had everything bagged up and ready to go. Angela’s eyes widened as she looked over her girlfriend’s attire. “Is that what you’re wearing?” Now she was sure that she was overdressed. Her red gown dipped low in the front and back and was peppered with fine crystals that sparkled in the light of her Christmas tree; Fareeha wore a black t-shirt and jeans with the knee ripped out.

“Yeah,” she replied, obviously not seeing the problem with any of it. “It’s just mom, no big deal.”

“But it’s Christmas,” Angela returned, at a loss. Should she change? There wasn’t time for her to change. She’d put so much effort in. 

Fareeha shrugged. “Well, yeah, but mom doesn’t celebrate Christmas. We’re just doing this so we can be together.”

Just doing this- for her? Was it so that they could see how they all acted around each other, or was she intruding on time better spent between mother and daughter?

“Should I change then?” she asked weakly. Her instincts told her yes, but it seemed like such a waste. Why hadn’t Fareeha said something before? She’d just assumed that the Christmas party would be formal!

Fareeha furrowed her brows, taking two long steps forward until she could wrap her arms loosely around Angela’s waist. “No, of course not. You look beautiful.” She tipped her head to the side in concession and then amended her statement, “You always look beautiful, but tonight you look more like an angel than ever. I’m sorry that I’m not more dressed up. Would you like me to wear something else?” She wanted for Angela to be comfortable, whatever that took.

“No, I’m just-” she shook her head, blushing from the compliments Fareeha bestowed upon her. She always knew just what to say to make Angela feel special, wanted. “You’re right. This is about being together. We should get going.”

Fareeha kissed her cheek and took the pie Angela made for Ana’s dinner. She slipped one arm around her girlfriend’s waist and then led them out of her small apartment.

By the time they arrived at where Ana was staying Angela’s nerves were fluttering all around her stomach again. The last time she’d seen Ana they hadn’t left on good terms. Would she disapprove of her dating her daughter?

Her heart hammered and she gripped Fareeha’s arm tightly as the other woman knocked on the unfamiliar door. Was Ana living here, or had she rented it for the occasion?

The old sniper opened the door with a grin. Her hair was pulled to the side in a braid like usual and she was dressed only slightly less casually than Fareeha. She stepped forward to hug her daughter and to Angela’s surprise she hugged her as well. It was an awkward moment for the medic, but it did allay some of her fears. Tonight they were forgetting the past. That was just as well. Angela had never enjoyed grudges and she didn’t want to make things awkward for Fareeha.

They stepped inside after a few words of greeting and Ana urged them to have a seat, taking the pie and presents away to their appropriate locations.

Food was already laid out, with a whole turkey, roasted vegetables, and plenty of cranberry sauce. Angela walked along the table, admiring the display before Fareeha drew her attention and held out a chair for her. Angela fluttered over, depositing a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek before she took a seat.

A few minutes later Ana returned, encouraging them to help themselves. “I can tell that neither of you eat anything when you’re in the field. Look at you.”

“Mother, don’t pretend that you aren’t still going on missions. You know how we eat.”

Ana waved a hand. “Nonsense, you know that I retired years ago, and I know how they feed you so eat up.” 

Fareeha glanced at Angela and made air quotes as Ana insisted that she was retired, mouthing the words with an expression that clearly implied that her mother wasn’t at her most truthful.

Still, Angela wasn’t one to upset her host so she loaded her plate and dug in with all the zeal she could muster. “Did you cook all of this?” she wondered as she helped herself to two- no,  _ three  _ types of potato. How many types of potato could three people eat?

“Oh, no, I’m not much of a cook.” Ana didn’t seem at all upset by her admission. “You’d be surprised by what you can have catered these days.”

“Aww,” Fareeha said something in arabic that Angela couldn’t follow. She’d been trying to learn the language since they started dating, but she didn’t know much beyond basic number and colors yet.

Ana responded in kind and Angela looked between them in confusion. “What’s happening?”

“Oh, she’s upset because the potatoes aren’t the way that she prefers them.” Ana cut her turkey and placed a piece in her mouth, ignoring her daughter’s complaining.

“What? But there are three separate types of potato dishes here.” They couldn’t be serious. Her eyes went to her girlfriend, wondering how she’d misread the situation. “None of the them are to your liking?”

Fareeha shrugged. “I just thought she’d make some poutine.”

“I catered,” Ana repeated. “No one knows what that is here.” 

“There are three different types of potatoes,” Angela repeated, growing increasingly distraught. “You can’t possibly want more.”

Fareeha shrugged and dipped a generous helping of mashed potatoes onto her plate before covering them in gravy. “Got any cheese? I’ll just  work with this.”

Ana watched with a disapproving frown, but stood at her daughter’s request. “I’ll check in the kitchen.” Angela watched in horror, uncertain what else she was supposed to say. She’d never seen this side of Fareeha before. 

When Ana returned she passed Fareeha a bag of shredded cheese and silently went back to her meal. After a moment she looked up and frowned at Angela’s plate. “You aren’t eating your yams,” she noted. “We got those specifically for you.”

Angela blinked, turning a confused expression on Ana. “For me? Why did you do that?”

“Because they’re healthy.” 

Ana gestured to the table and Fareeha looked up with an enthusiastic nod. “I told her you liked vegetables.”

“Well yes, I-”

“And Fareeha enjoys potatoes.” She speared another piece of turkey. “And I enjoy meat. I looked after all of our preferences.”

“You were very thorough.” Angela didn’t want to mention the sugar content, or the sheer amount of butter that was probably added to the yams, but her mind played the statements over and over. 

She silenced herself with eating and eventually the conversation passed into something  that Angela was more comfortable with. By the time she finished dessert Angela was feeling warm and content. She didn’t think it was only the glasses of eggnog she’d indulged in that were causing the sensation.

The three women sat in agony, unable to place even one last spoonful of food down their gullet. Fareeha broke the silence after looking between the other two. “Presents?” 

Ana cast her a patient smile and then eased her way out of her chair to walk slowly into the next room. “You two had better come in here. It’s more comfortable than the table.”

Fareeha stood without reservation, but she waited for Angela to join her. She smiled as her girlfriend approached and slid an arm around her. “I think that went well,” Angela confided softly. Fareeha grinned and nodded. She never doubted that the pair of them would get along.

Well, she hadn’t doubted it much.

“So far so good.” She knew that her mother and girlfriend had had their differences, but she was glad that they were both making an effort for her sake. She didn’t want to watch either of them suffering, especially at the hand of the other. 

“I thought that I was supposed to be the slow one,” Ana prompted through the open door.

The young women grinned at each other, mirroring each other’s goofy, yet guilty expressions before they hurried into the living room, Fareeha helping Angela along by ticking at her sides. The doctor tried to contain her giggles, but several escaped her before she retreated to the safety of the long couch that was left open for them. 

A tree glowed softly at the edge of the room. It was decorated in handmade ornaments, the sort that a child would create, and large colored bulbs. It wasn’t the sort of tree that Angela imagined Ana putting up. She had pictured that the sniper’s holiday decor would be small and utilitarian, the tree freshly cut and covered with white twinkling lights, possibly with some of those silver strands that no one could use in proper proportions. She realized that she expected Ana’s tree to be cold, not something that a person might find in a family’s home. 

Her eyes lingered on the ornaments from Fareeha’s childhood, wondering what was happening in their lives when the trinkets were created. She stalled as her gaze reached the top of the tree. The figure sitting there was- familiar….

“What is that?” Angela voice was soft in her hesitancy. She didn’t want to make a scene but- could this be an accident? 

Her question drew Fareeha’s eye, causing the other woman to frown. “We’ve never had an angel on top of the tree before.”

“You don’t like it?” Ana wondered, barely sparing a glance in the indicated direction as she leaned back in the wooden chair she’d placed between the corner and the fireplace. “I thought you’d appreciate the look of it.”

“It looks like me!” Angela squeaked. Had she done that on purpose?

“Does it?” Ana slowly turned her head toward the topper in question and then shrugged. “I suppose it does.” She then, very calmly, leaned over to collect a gift from under the tree while the other women regarded her skeptically. Angela didn’t know what to say about it all and Fareeha didn’t have any proof that her mother was just being difficult, so they each let the subject drop as Ana passed first Fareeha a present, and then Angela.

“You didn’t need to get me anything,” Angela assured her, taking the box with equal parts excitement and trepidation.

“Nonsense,” Ana scoffed before turning to return to her chair, “that isn’t in the spirit of the season. Now open your gifts before Fareeha beats you to it.”

Fareeha was already examining her package and removing each piece of tape with practiced precision. She was dedicated to leaving the paper completely intact and Angela almost grew distracted watching her before she tore open her own wrapping to uncover the container beneath. It was a long, white, nondescript thing, the type that clothing often comes in.

It was taped shut as well so Angela tore the binding, causing a small rip in the cardboard that she hoped Fareeha wouldn’t notice. Was she always this careful with gifts?

Once the lid could safely be lifted away Angela did so, setting it to the side and reaching in to pull out the soft blue sweater within. It was plain, with a relatively open weave, but the yarn was soft enough that she wanted to rub her face against it and the powder blue color was nearly the very same as her eyes. “It’s beautiful,” she murmured, looking up to smile at the old sniper. “Thank you, Ana.” 

Ana dipped her head and then turned to watch Fareeha with a small smile. Angela had rarely seen Ana look soft, but with the gentle expression and the glow of the fire beside her she appeared as any grandmother might.

Fareeha gasped as she peeled back one side of the packaging and peeked inside at the contents. “You didn’t!”

“Finish opening it so the rest of us can see,” Ana scolded, causing Fareeha to turn the package and rapidly peel away the remaining tape. She still didn’t rip the paper, but it really looked like she wanted to.

When the box was revealed she held it up proudly revealing packaging that depicted a plain looking black band, almost like a watch. It didn’t seem like anything particularly special to Angela, but Fareeha was excited and Ana was grinning knowingly. “What is it?” Angela prompted, hoping that one of them would take pity on her.

Fareeha looked up sharply, a mixture of surprise and apology in her eyes. “Oh, it’s a TFMD.” At Angela’s blank look she continued. “A total fitness monitoring device. It- well, it does everything. It measures vitals. You can set it to vibrate and wake you during the best part of your sleep schedule, check blood composition for dietary advice, it makes sure you’re working out effectively.”

Angela peered closer at the box, intrigued by how a bracelet could do all of that. “Why haven’t I heard of these before?” She was a medical professional! These could be very useful in treating patients, especially those undergoing outpatient care.

“Well, you’re not-” Fareeha stalled at Angela’s questioning gaze and Ana excused herself to go make tea. The soldier’s eyes flickered to her mother, at a loss, and then returned to her girlfriend. “You know.”

“No, I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

“You’re not athletic.” Fareeha shrugged, trying to play the statement off. “You’re healthy, you just don’t exercise.”

“I exercise the weekly recommended amount!” Angela argued, not yet certain how offended she should be.

Fareeha realized then that damage control was needed. They still had to get through the rest of their presents and this wasn’t an argument that she was likely to win. “Well, yes, but you don’t exercise enough to need one of these. That’s all I was trying to say.”

Angela frowned, but decided to let the subject drop. She wasn’t interested in a fight, especially not on Christmas eve at another person’s house. “Are they very expensive? They could still be quite useful in outpatient recovery.”

“Umm, yeah,” Fareeha reached back to scratch at her neck. It didn't itch, but she still felt like she should be walking on eggshells. “They’re probably more than the hospital would cover, but if anyone can convince them to finance it, it’s you.” Angela smiled and Fareeha congratulated herself on a nice save.

“May I see it?” Angela encouraged Fareeha to open the box and begin exploring what her new gift could do, partially to sate her own curiosity, but mostly to fill the time before Ana returned with tea.

The old sniper offered them both glasses which Angela declined and Fareeha accepted. She then returned to her chair and reached for the gifts she’d set aside earlier. “This says it’s to me,” Ana noted, setting the package beside her chair before pulling out two boxes and passing them across the small space to her guests. “These are for you two.”

Fareeha’s eyes went wide when she saw the paper and she shifted to fix Angela with a pleading look. “You didn’t bring the other present? That one was for tomorrow morning.”

Angela blinked, holding the medium sized box in her hands a few inches from her lap. “I took two from under the tree. I didn’t realize that it mattered.”

“It’s umm,” Fareeha licked her lips and cast a brief glance at her mother who generously pretended not to notice as she sipped at her tea. “I just thought you’d like it in the morning.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t bring any others.”

“Let her open her gift, Fareeha. She can open your other present in the morning.”

Fareeha’s eyes continued to dart between the others, but knew that there wasn’t an argument in the world in which she could gain ground against the pair of them in agreement. Maybe Angela would understand once she actually tore the present open.

Maybe she could at least put it off until the end. “Mom? Why don’t you open your gift first. We just opened something.”

Ana agreed with the logic and tore her paper away in one efficient tear. She tossed the paper into the fire and then looked down at the plain cardboard box in her hands. It held no clue as to the contents so she took a knife from her hip and cut the packing tape holding the lid together.

“You’ve- been holding a knife?” Angela stammered, completely unaware of the fact that she’d been in the presence of a weapon the entire night.

“Of course,” Ana murmured before sliding the knife back into its sheath. “They’re extremely useful tools.” she glanced up and raised the brow above her eyepatch. “You didn’t complain about their presence at dinner.”

“Well that’s different!” She didn’t know how, but it felt different. Knives for eating hardly counted as weapons at all! They had a purpose.

Granted, Ana wasn’t using hers as a weapon presently. Was she actually upset by the object itself or was it only because of who held it?

Angela fell into quiet contemplation as Ana chuckled and pulled a carefully wrapped box from her cardboard box. This one was wrapped in tissue paper instead of wrapping paper, so she tore it open with slightly more caution than the first.

Finally her gift was revealed, a tea box with alternating bands of wood along the side and a checkerboard pattern inlaid across the top. Her name was seared into the lid in a flowing script and she ran her hand over it reverently, a small smile on her lips.

“We’ve been taking woodworking classes,” Fareeha explained. “Angela did the wood burning and I made the box.”

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured, keeping her eye on the box for another lingering moment. “You made this yourself?”

“With instruction,” Angela provided. She wasn’t certain if Ana would like the gift, but she was hopeful. Fareeha had made half a dozen others before deciding that this one was a high enough quality to engrave.

“Thank you both,” she smiled warmly, once more looking as soft and harmless as someone who hadn’t killed an unknown number of people. Did she still think of them? Did she forget them as soon as they were gone and her mission was over?

Before Angela could follow that particular train of thought, Fareeha announced that she’d open her present next. Ana put her present to the side and reclaimed her tea from the sill of the fireplace while Angela ran her hands absently along the sides of her present.

Fareeha was as meticulous as before, but Angela hadn’t used as much tape on her wrapping as Ana and as a result the box containing a bullet proof thermos came into view with relative haste. “Is this really what it is?” Fareeha needed to check, knowing that in their professions the odd supply container could be converted for unboxed gifts. Although, Angela would usually put her presents in something more related to medicine, like a syringe container or something. Still, no need to get her hopes up too quickly.

“Oh, yes, that’s the original packaging,” Angela assured her. “I am wary of your profession, but that’s no reason for you to be uncomfortable while you are on missions.”

“May I?” Ana wondered, holding out her hand as Fareeha inspected the box with animated glee. She glanced up like she’d been caught playing with her gifts a day early and passed her mother the thermos.

Ana read the outside of the container with furrowed brows and polite interest in her eye. “Bullet proof  _ and  _ can keep liquids warm for up to twenty hours?” It wasn’t often that the woman sounded so impressed. “I may need one of these for myself.”

“What would you need it for?” Angela wondered with genuine interest.

Ana glanced at her in surprise. The doctor didn’t usually ask stupid questions. “For tea.”

“Mother, you’re retired,” Fareeha reminded her gently, holding out her hand for the thermos.

“I’m- oh, yes, retired.” She cleared her throat and passed her daughter back the present, but she took note of the brand. “Still, you never know when you’re going to need a good thermos.”

Fareeha snuck a glance at Angela, trying to catch her eyes with a knowing smile, but her eyes quickly diverted to the package in her lap and the soldier blushed. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather open that at home?” She tried one more time. She didn’t think Angela would want to tear open something like that in front of her mother, although it was a small consolation that the object wasn’t overtly sexual. This could have been much worse.

“Don’t be silly, then I’d have two presents tomorrow while you’ll only have one!” Angela chuckled and began to tear the paper off of the box in front of her. She was greeted by a fairly plain black box. There were a few words, the most notable being, “Neon Wand”. In the corner there was a hand reaching its finger up toward a purple bulbous device that was shaped almost like a small shower head with an electrical charge running between the two. 

Angela’s brows furrowed as she tried to make sense of the gift. She began to read the words out loud to see if that gave her any more clues. “Electro erot-” Her cheeks turned an ugly shade of maroon as she cut off the final words. Her eyes shifted to Ana, hoping that the side of the box was empty.

It was not.

“Electro erotic,” Ana supplied with a sly grin. “It’s a device that electrocutes you. It’s intended for sex.” 

Her frank words and knowing look did nothing to help either of the younger women. “You were supposed to open it tomorrow,” Fareeha mumbled, as if saying it again would help her cause.

“I- well,” Angela’s indecision was largely caused by not knowing if she should be grateful or embarrassed. She and Fareeha had been trying to branch out in the bedroom, but she now understood why her partner had tried to warn her off opening this. “That’s very thoughtful,” she finished her words quickly before shoving the toy to the side. Perhaps once it was out of sight they could forget about it.

Unfortunately, Ana wasn’t ready to let them escape their misery just yet. “I never enjoyed electrocution myself.” Her voice was musing, and she paused as she took another delicate sip of her tea. “Jack used to love it. I think it reminded him of-”

“Mom!” Fareeha cut her off, redder in the face than Mercy had ever seen her.

Ana cast her daughter an innocent look. “This isn’t story time?”

“We had better go,” Angela decided, rising quickly to collect her things. “Thank you for a lovely evening, Ana. The meal was delicious, and- well, merry whatever you celebrate.” The sooner that they could get out of here the better. Angela didn’t need to know about the sexual exploits of the people she worked with.

Fareeha followed her girlfriend’s lead, standing to give her mother a hug which Ana accepted gratefully. “I’ll see you in a few weeks,” she promised.

“Come home safe,” Ana returned before looking at Angela. “Dr. Zeigler, it was a pleasure.”

Angela shook her head, unwilling to go back to a formal relationship after the night they’d had. She wasn’t even working right now. “Please, call me Angela.” If they were going to be in each other’s lives, then they would need to find a way to make amends. Angela had mostly learned to accept Fareeha’s militaristic nature, she could learn to accept Ana too.

“Drive safely,” Ana gave them a small nod, not yet using Angela’s first name. She wasn’t foolish enough to believe that everything was fixed between them, but she didn’t want to ruin her daughter’s happiness. There was little enough of that in the world already.

Fareeha and Angela stuffed their things into the bag they’d arrived with, leaving the remaining pie for Ana, although they’d acquired a care package of leftovers that might feed them through the new year.

“I’m sorry,” Fareeha breathed immediately upon the door closing. “I tried to warn you…”

Angela glanced over at Fareeha and then responded with a shrug. “Don’t be. I am a medical professional, and sex is really just a biological function. Your mother is familiar with the process too. There was no harm done.”

Fareeha was struck silent by the words. Was Angela really okay or was she just putting on a brave face? “Oh, I- you left so quickly…” she’d assumed it was because of upset, but could there have been another reason?

“Yes,” Angela agreed. “Didn’t you want to go home and try it?” She raised a light brow, the growing grin that followed was impish and full of promise.

Fareeha grinned in turn, wrapping an arm around the woman she adored and quickening her steps toward the car. “We’d better not hit any red lights.”

Angela laughed in delight, swept through the hallways at nearly a run by her girlfriend’s insistence. “It this a bad time to suggest we look at Christmas lights?” Fareeha cast her an aghast look, making her giggle again. Her spirits were high, but she was ready to be home. “I’m kidding.” She leaned up to kiss Fareeha’s cheek, feeling the contentment that only Christmas could bring. “Let’s go make this a merry Christmas.”

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! I hope you had fun reading this because I enjoyed writing it <3


End file.
